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Palin's risky bid to lead tea party

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Having a leader could change the character of the movement, but it also could help move it past the petty squabbles and financial questions that some conservatives believe have hampered its effectiveness as a political force, according to Erick Erickson, the influential RedState.com blogger. He has been among the highest profile critics of the finances and motivations of some groups involved in the movement, including Tea Party Express and Tea Party Nation, the group behind the Nashville convention.

Erickson blogged that the convention "smells scammy" and worried that Palin, who is being paid $100,000 to speak, "might be ruining herself unintentionally" by affiliating herself with the organizers.

But after committing to meet here Friday with Mark Skoda, one of the convention organizers, Erickson had softened somewhat. He said Palin, who forged a reputation as a corruption fighter in Alaska by taking on a GOP establishment regarded as ethically compromised, could do the same for the tea party movement.

"If she inserts herself into the mix and uses her position and authority to clean house, I think the tea party movement will be far, far better off with Sarah Palin than without her," said Erickson.

Still, he conceded the movement arose partly "because it lacks a leader. The reason these guys have taken to the streets in protest and are now getting involved in campaigns is because all the people who have said they are one of them who went to Washington betrayed them. Once it has a leader, it will either become a different force or will go away once it puts its leader in a position to affect policy."

As for Palin, Erickson said she could "totally rehabilitate herself in the eyes of the public who were left with a negative impression of her and really rally people. The issues that she is talking about these days resonate with a majority of Americans regardless of party."

But conservative writer Matthew Continetti in the Weekly Standard this week saw less upside for Palin. He cautioned that she "already has a lock on the pro-life, anti-big-government vote," but "needs to address the concerns of voters who liked her initially but now feel she isn't ready for high office. Some of them may be in the Tea Party — but certainly not all of them."

Why are people so insistent on the notion that Palin is going to run for President? Perhaps she is simply trying to push forward a conservative movement. She doesn't worry about what other people think ... she just does what she feels is right. Who cares that she is speaking at this convention and who cares how much money she is getting for it? Only LIBERALS who are AFRAID of her care about any of that. This obsession is getting out of control. MSNBC has spent all day posting all of her HUSBAND'S old emails while she was governor. Get over it already. Stop obsessing and report some NEWS!!

Feb. 5, 2010 - 7:22 PM ESTWhy are people so insistent on the notion that Palin is going to run for President? Perhaps she is simply trying to push forward a conservative movement. She doesn't worry about what other people think ... she just does what she feels is right. Who cares that she is speaking at this convention and who cares how much money she is getting for it? Only LIBERALS who are AFRAID of her care about any of that. This obsession is getting out of control. MSNBC has spent all day posting all of her HUSBAND'S old emails while she was governor. Get over it already. Stop obsessing and report some NEWS!!

The emails were just released this week, that's why it's news. Alaska finally responded to a Freedom of Information Act request from over a year ago.

You might want to check out the story about the Palins' cheating on property taxes. That just came out today, also.

Politico has never been a fan of Sarah Palin. So your exclaiming her possible lead of the tea party is risky does not mean squat to the people in the tea party. She has been very active in the conservative movement, and has been instrumental in Scott Brown's election. We need people like her.

Politico has never been a fan of Sarah Palin. So your exclaiming her possible lead of the tea party is risky does not mean squat to the people in the tea party. She has been very active in the conservative movement, and has been instrumental in Scott Brown's election. We need people like her.

Since they don't have the nerve to start their own party, they are going to screw up the Republican Party and split it in two. Leaving the moderates out. Good job Tea Partiers. Way to get just what you don't want.

As for Palin, money, money, money. That's all she's wants and doesn't care if she hurts America as long as she continues to get rich. Such a con person. She has way too many people fooled.